In the recent elections marijuana initiatives came up across the country. There is a lot of misguided views on exactly why people are putting so much time and money into this cause. If the US government were to legalize and regulate marijuana it would immediately save us 10 to 14 billion dollars a year. This is according to visiting Harvard professor, Dr. Jeffrey Miron's 2005 report on the subject or Marijuana regulation. The report was endorsed by over 500 respected economists. The Marijuana Policy Project based out of DC has said that money could secure all of the former Soviet Union's "Loose Nukes" within 3 years. As national security budgets continue to increase, wouldn't it be nice to free up some tax dollars. Politicians on both sides are afraid to touch the issue unless they are in numbers, which was seen with the override of a governors veto in Rhode Island. Medical Marijuana is another issue completely, that being an issue of compassion and science. A DEA judge one called it one of the safest natural therapeutic substances known to man. Federal courts have said doctors are allowed to talk to patients about it if they think it might be useful, but cant "Prescribe" it. I just don't understand the sense in this. Every year marijuana possession arrests are going up, and leading all other drug arrests combined. Amazingly in perspective most arrest made in the War on Drugs are for a substance nobody has ever overdosed on. So it comes down to how responsible Americans are going to want to see the money they put into this country work.